2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue

TO MINIMIZE WINDSHIELD WIPER BREAKAGE MANUFACTURER HAS CONVERTED THE CAR INTO A DEATHTRAP. SNOW AND ICE MUST BE REMOVED FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE WIPERS. IF WIPER OPERATION IS TESTED TO DETERMINE IF THE WIPERS ARE FREE, AND THIS INDEED NOT THE CASE, A SERIOUS PROBLEM ARISES. THE NUT HOLDING THE WIPER ASSEMBLY LOOSENS VERY READILY UNDER VERY LITTLE STRAIN. AFTER SOME INTERVAL THE DRIVER OPERATING UNDER INCLEMENT CONDITIONS FINDS HE HAS VERY LIMITED OR NO VISIBILITY WHEN THE WIPERS CEASE TO FUNCTION OR FUNCTION ERRATICALLY. IN MY CASE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE RIGHT WIPER CAME OVER THE LEFT WIPER, PINNING BOTH IN PLACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALER I FOUND THIS WAS A VERY COMMON, FREQUENT OCCURENCE VERY FAMILIAR TO THEIR MAINTAINANCE DEPARTMENT. THE WIPERS CAN NOT NORMALLY BE REPAIRED OR RENDERED OPERABLE ON THE SPOT, (WHO CARRIES THE CORRECT SIZE METRIC WRENCH OR IS AWARE OF THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENT ?). THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT WARN OF THIS DEADLY HAZARD, OR PROVIDE INFORMATION ON REPAIR OR ADJUSTMENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE AN AUTOMOBILE SO EQUIPPED IS SAFE TO DRIVE IN WINTER WHEATHER. NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE OCCURRED IN MY CASE. THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE AND DEATH, HOWEVER, SEEM ENORMOUS. *AK

HORN LOCATION ON THE STEERING WHEEL PADS ARE HARD TO FIND WHEN NECESSARY. WHENEVER HORN IS HIT WITHOUT LOOKING DIRECTLY FOR THE PADS, IT WOULD NOT SOUND OFF. WOULD HAVE TO SEARCH FOR A CERTAIN SPOT ON THE PAD TO HIT FOR HORN TO SOUND. HITTING AREA OF AIR BAG MAKES HORN BLOW. FEAR OF HITTING STEERING WHEEL COVER TO HARD MIGHT CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. *AK IT IS HARD TO FIND THE SPOT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. *YH

METAL "SHIMS" THAT HOLD THERMOSTAT IN PLACE FAILED - CAUSING THERMOSTAT TO DISLODGE AND CREATE A RESTRICTION, HENCE CAUSING SUPERHEATED AIR BUBBLES TO FORM DIRECTLY UNDER THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR. THIS CAUSED A FALSE WARNING EMERGENCY ALERT ON THE DASH WHICH INFLUENCED ME TO PULL OVER ON BUSY INTERSTATE 95 WHERE I BECAME A ROAD HAZARD AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY A 18 WHEELER. TOOK THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER, WHO FIXED IT. BUT IT CAME BACK 2 WEEKS LATER AND I HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED AGAIN. IT HAS SINCE NOT RETURNED. *AK

THE CAR HAS OVERHEATED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS ON RTE 95 AT NIGHT WHICH MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR AND CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG. FROM THIS POINT ON WE WATCHED AND REALIZED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT FROM THE MIDDLE POINT UP TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE FREQUENTLY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT GM SAID THAT THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE WAS ANYWHERE IN THE WHITE ZONE. THIS PAST WEEKEND WE DROVE ABOUT 40 MILES FROM HOME AND TWICE THE CAR OVERHEATED. THE 3RD TRIP BACK TO THE DEALER HAPPENED ON A DAY THAT GM FIELD TECHS WERE IN THE DEALER SERVICE AREA. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, THESE TECHS WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION WAS TO "SHIM" THE THERMOSTAT. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THAT GM IS WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE CAR CAN FAIL ANYWHERE AND GM IS NOT TELLING THEIR SERVICE PEOPLE ABOUT THE SITUATION. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT SOMEONE GETTING HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE OF A BREAKDOWN. THANK YOU FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION. *AK